Marquette Golden Eagles
The Marquette Golden Eagles (formerly known as the Marquette Warriors, Blue and Gold, Hilltoppers, and Golden Avalanche (football only)) is the name of the various sports teams of Marquette University. With a National Championship in the 1976-1977 season, National Championship appearance in the 1974 season, a National Invitational Tournament Championship in 1970, and a trip to the Final Four in 2003 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, the men's basketball team competes in the NCAA. Although it no longer funds a Football program, the school has a history in the sport, including an appearance in the first-ever Cotton Bowl (game). Marquette's athletic program fields teams in the NCAA Division I level, and the school is a member of the Big East. Men's Basketball The school is well-known for the success of its men's Basketball team. Marquette Basketball is 9th in the NCAA for postseason appearances all-time (40), including 26 NCAA Tournament appearances (17th all time). The Warriors, coached by Al McGuire, won the 1977 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament NCAA and were runners-up in 1974 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. Maurice "Bo" Ellis was a member of each of those teams, and remains the only Marquette player to appear in two Final Fours. In 2003 Marquette, coached by Tom Crean and led by Dwyane Wade, Robert Jackson, Steve Novak, and Travis Diener, defeated top-ranked Kentucky to reach the Final Four. In that game, Wade became one of only four players in NCAA Men's Tournament history to record a triple-double. Wade was named an AP All-American two years in a row and won Conference USA Player of the Year while at Marquette. The 2007-2008 season men's basketball roster included guards Dominic James (2005-06 Big East Rookie of the Year), Wesley Matthews, Jerel McNeal (2006-07 Big East Defensive Player of the Year), and David Cubillan, forward/guard Dan Fitzgerald (2002-03 "Defensive Player of the Year" in Minnesota), as well as Senegalese forward, Ousmane Barro. The Golden Eagles went through the entire 2006-2007 season ranked in the top 25 in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Polls with the exception of one week.http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/rankingsindex?pollId=null&weekNumber=1&seasonYear=2007 http://gomarquette.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/fitzgerald_dan00.html. As of April 9th, 2008 McNeal and James have not yet announced their plans whether to enter the NBA Draft or remain at Marquette for their senior season. Marquette men's basketball players whose jerseys have been retired: *Dwyane Wade (3) *Don Kojis (44) *Doc Rivers (31) *George Thompson (24) *Maurice "Bo" Ellis (31) *Butch Lee (15) *Earl Tatum (43) *Dean Meminger (14) *Maurice Lucas (20) *Marquette has also retired numbers 77, 38, and 11, in honor of coach Al McGuire, trainer Bob Weingart and the Apollo 11 crew, respectively. The team plays in the nearby home of the Milwaukee Bucks, the Bradley Center. Conference Affliations Women's Basketball Marquette's women's basketball is currently coached by Terri Mitchell, 2007 Big East Women's Basketball Coach of the Year. The program has experienced success in recent years under Mitchell's direction, including a run to the championship game of the WNIT, where the women finished as runners-up in 2006, and won the championship in 2008. Marquette women's basketball has qualified for the NCAA tournament seven times since 1994.http://www.marquette.edu/giving/options/b&gfund.shtmlThe team now plays in the Al McGuire Center, named after the former Marquette men's coach. External links *Marquette University Athletics *Marquette Football website Category:NCAA Division I schools Category:Big East Conference members Category:Schools in Wisconsin